I have read the privacy policy and I am happy for you to process my personal information provided

Please complete mandatory fields

Multiple injuries after trip and fall from roof at work

An ex-school caretaker could start a claim for compensation after he sustained multiple injuries during a serious accident at work.

The unnamed 61-year-old man suffered injuries to his knees, neck, ankles and right hand when he fell from the roof of a shed at Beever Primary School in Oldham, Lancashire.

Due to the severity of his injuries, the man was not able to return to work full-time and has since been forced to retire completely.

An investigation carried out by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) established that the janitor had been conducting maintenance work on the roof of the building, which is used to store equipment for a neighbouring children's centre.

The roof surface had recently been vandalised and was leaking, which resulted in the worker climbing on top of the roof to place a plastic sheet on the ceiling as a temporary repair measure.

However, while he was standing on the roof, the man tripped and fell backwards, resulting in him landing on a concrete floor three metres below.

The watchdog also established that even though the man had begun his role as the school's caretaker some six years before the incident, he had never received any guidance or training on how to work safely at height.

As such, during a case heard at Trafford Magistrates' Court, the HSE accused Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council of failing to provide its members of staff with a safe working environment.

The local authority was subsequently found guilty of breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined a total of £7,000 for its negligence.

Alex Farnhill, inspector at the HSE, said it is "disappointing" that the caretaker had been working as a school caretaker since 2004 without any training on how to work at height safely.

"Using a stepladder or carrying out other work above the ground was part of his job and it should therefore have been a council priority to make sure he could do this safely," the official added.

Claims Direct is a trading name of Slater and Gordon UK Limited, a company registered in England & Wales with registration number 07931918, VAT 125 446 327, registered office 50/52 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1HL and is an approved Alternative Business Structure authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for insurance mediation activity.